Right now there are approximately 20 to 25 Falcon 900Bs on the market available for sale. In talking with these owners, I’ve learned the majority of these aircraft were placed up for sale over the concern there was no upgrade path to meet the upcoming mandates and essentially rendering the aircraft as domestic use only.
I totally get it. Who wants an aircraft capable of Mach .84 - .87 that can travel 4,600 miles and only be able to fly it in the 48 contiguous states?
Universal EFI-890
On the Falcon 900B, the engines, airframe and accessories are still highly supported. Therefore, the weak link in this analysis becomes the avionics. However I am hear to tell you, when it comes to meeting the needs of the mandates for both the U.S and abroad, there is a clear path.
With the installation of the Universal EFI-890 solution, a Falcon 900B gains many of the same capabilities of new production aircraft and in some cases, even more. Charts, weather, synthetic vision, electronic engine gauges, camera input, new LED displays, WAAS FMS with LPV and the necessary accuracy to fly in Minimum Navigation Performance Specifications (MNPS) airspace.
Want to fly to Europe and fly in the most favorable tracks doing so? This is the solution.
Want to jump up into the airspace over Europe on the bosses schedule and not when air traffic allows you to depart? This is your solution.
Add winglets, new custom interior and paint, a state of the art entertainment system and you have yourself one heck of an aircraft that will meet the needs of the future for the next 10 years.
Or as an option you could buy a used aircraft with these capabilities for more than seven and a half times what this upgrade would cost you. Keeping in mind that if you wanted the custom paint, interior and entertainment – that would all be additional.
On Display at NBAA
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On display at NBAA 2013, Falcon 900B with the first EFI-890R cockpit retrofit upgrade, newly designed interior and new CMS. Click to enlarge.
Why just read about it when you can come see it. During NBAA at static display #140 on the Henderson Executive Airport in Las Vegas, I personally invite you to walk through and see a Falcon 900B with the first EFI-890R cockpit retrofit upgrade. I will be on-hand to answer any of your questions, as well as representatives from Universal Avionics.
Also featured on this aircraft is a newly designed interior, new paint and new cabin/management/entertainment system; all completed by Duncan Aviation.
How weak is that link now?
Gary Harpster is a member of Duncan Aviation’s Avionics Installations Sales team and is the current Chair on the AEA Board of Directors. He is an industry expert on the subject of Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), co-authoring the Straight Talk About WAAS booklet and Upgrading to WAAS guide, as well as hosting a WAAS video series. His aviation career began in 1997.